Viva La Vida
by IrisOfTheRainbow
Summary: Edward had it all, once long ago. His life has shifted, but can he roll with it? Takes place in...whatever time period it was before electricity and such. BxE, lot's of fun. Collab between Iris of the Rainbow and TATCO. Rated M for future mature content.
1. Chapter 1

**Viva La Vida.**

**EPOV**

The dice fell to the table, rolling, undecided. All eyes watched, some nervous, others confident as they spun uncertainly, randomly.

I looked into the eyes of my enemy, who was watching the dice as if they held the secret to life. His hazel eyes etched with fear. I smirked.

The dice ended their deadly waltz and lay still on the table.

Four.

Six.

I win. My enemy's eyes now held defeat, he had finally given in. Deposited in my palm was my prize.

It all seems so natural. I fight. I win. I've never lost.

Some would say I was the luckiest man in all of England.

Some would say I was the dirtiest cheater to ever play the game.

And some… Some would say I was the prince. As if this explained everything.

I examined the prize for whichever reason they chose. A necklace. A simple silver chain with an opal attached. The moonlight shone upon the opaque stone, igniting an orange light to radiate from its misty depths.

I was about to dismiss that whom I defeated, but a gruff voice called out to me.

"When the time comes, you will know," the hazel eyed man had said. He then pulled on the hood of his cloak, mounted his horse and rode off down the cobblestones.

I took one last look at my prize as the crowd dispersed. The opal was about the size of an infant's first tooth, just as brilliant, twice as miraculous. The chain was definitely silver, but glinted oddly in the moonlight, as if I were missing part of it. I examined every detail until I was the sole occupant of the alleyway.

I placed the necklace in my cloak pocket and mounted my silver stallion, Volvo. I galloped in the moonlit night to the castle, the sound of his horseshoes to the stones easing my nerves.

I galloped for long, contemplating what the man had meant. As the castle drew nearer, as did my nerves.

I am Prince Edward the Second of England, and I am seventeen years old. My father and mother, King Edward the First and Queen Elizabeth, were soon to retire from the throne, but this could only be done once I married. It has all been arranged.

In four months I am to marry Countess Tanya of Yorkshire and assume my place as King of England. It was frightening, but unavoidable I suppose.

I trotted Volvo into the stable and dismounted. A stable hand took the reins and led him off as I walked into my home.

I pulled the necklace out of my pocket and stared as I thought of what was to happen. I had met Tanya but once, respectable girl, but I felt no connection to her.

She was beautiful, of course, strawberry blond hair, fair skin and eyes of ice. They were like frozen ponds, and I hated it. I hated her light hair, too fair to allow adjustment from my eyes. I hated her skin, not unlike mine, which had no traces of any labor or dedication. I hated her eyes, frozen, cold, not soft and warm like I would imagine my wife's eyes would be.

But I'd have to set it aside, because we would marry in four months. She would bear my children and think she was the luckiest woman in our world. The brown-haired, ice eyed children would look up at me with adoration, but still only with eyes of ice. I would never love them.

I entered my chambers, the necklace still in my grasp, the warm glow soothing me. I changed into my evening robes and was off to sleep, dreaming of a better future.

I awoke to the sounds of birds chirping beyond my window, the morning sun stroking my face with its warm touch. I roused from my bed and walked toward the intricate stone balcony, greeted there with the crisp morning weather and concentrated rays of golden sun.

I looked down upon the orchard, the apple trees were blooming, their brilliance stretching on for miles of the estate. The colours of green were almost fluorescent and seemed to greet the day with their outstretched leaves, begging it to stay. Beyond the orchard, a thicker forest of evergreens thrived. Deer, elk, geese, hares, bears all inhabited what was to be mine. I could see a small clearing where a doe and her speckled fawn drank from a crystal pond. It seemed so innocent, so beautiful. This was how the world was meant to be.

I retreated, no longer wishing to look upon nature's fine beauty, and found my discarded cloak on the hardwood floor, wrinkled in carelessness. I reached into the pocket and pulled out the necklace again. The orange glow was brighter than before in the new dawn, a stark contrast to the grey-green of the walls, and I envied it. To show its inner light without a thought, an involuntary reaction if you will. I now realized that the chain was anything but simple silver. Embedded within the links of silver were tiny, almost non-existent, perfectly cut diamonds. This must be what I had missed the night before. They shimmered in the sun and brought the silver metal, cold in comparison to the stone, to a dazzling reality. I saw no beauty. The diamonds were stealing away what belonged to the opal, I was tempted to find a new chain. _When the time comes, you will know…_the words of the man from last night echoed in my head, and, instead of changing the chain, I placed the necklace into a box, not expensively decorated as a jewelry box is per the norm. It was bound in brown leather, soft as satin to the touch, with a small lock on it, the key kept with me at all times.

I relocked the box and placed it back on its table, taking one final look as I walked to breakfast.

The smell of sweet meats and fresh bread wafted up the stairs, toying with my senses as I descended to the first storey.

I entered the dining room, the marble floors and ornate wall décor greeted me, unlike my parents, who sat eating their food. I sat in the furthest chair from them and picked up a piece of bread, dipping it into the melted butter and ate, chewing being the only noise. We never spoke during meals alone, we hardly ever spoke at all.

I finished what I was going to eat, they wouldn't nag me to eat more. I strode to the stables and had Wolfgang tack up Volvo for me. I hopped on and rode into the crowded streets. I looked down upon the townsfolk from my point, all of which bowed slightly as I passed. _Long live the King_.

I passed a happy couple watching their children playing in the street. The smiled and bowed their heads, the joy in their eyes made me yearn for the same, a simple family and loving wife. The children stopped playing and stood up. The boy bowed grandly and I laughed and reached down to ruffle his hair. His answering smile was innocent and blinding. The younger girl also stood and curtsied. She had long brown curls and fawn eyes. I pulled to a halt at her and dismounted my horse. I reached into my robe and pulled out a barret in the shape of a butterfly, shaped of gold with small rubies embedded on the wings. I placed the barret delicately in her hair and her face lit up in a brilliant blush.

"Thank you your majesty," her delicate voice tinkled and I smiled at her.

"You are very welcome." I stood and addressed the parents. "You are both very lucky. I ask that you cherish your family, in the end it is all that matters. Goodbye." I mounted Volvo again as the boy and girl waved jubilantly at me. I allowed myself a small smile, one that was guaranteed to always be slightly crooked, and rode of down the street, nodding a the people of my land as they in turn bowed slightly.

I rode the entire day, stopping only once to purchase a honey bun from a haggard looking vendor. I deposited more than enough for ten into the woman's palm and her smile lit up the kiosk. I smiled as she thanked me kindly, and remounted again.

I eventually ended up on the far side of the forest on my estate, and the night was growing near. I cantered lightly through the thick brush, occasionally sighting the retreating form of an elk, or the chirp of a nightingale gracing my ears which had risen from it's slumber at the noise.

I noticed soon after the night fell that I saw none of the animals, not a single bird or bear to be heard or seen. Volvo was seeming very uneasy and skittish, so I picked up the pace a bit, pushing into a hasty gallop.

We galloped for what felt like hours, when I felt a prickling sensation on the back of my neck. I pulled up to a walk, still moving forward, but slowly, cautiously. I broke through the brush and fully recognized the clearing I had seen from my balcony that morning. The pond reflected the pale moon, I'm late for supper. Across the still pond was the fawn, or a fawn, standing and shaking like it was cold. I looked on, confused. I dismounted Volvo and still, the fawn did not didn't it run away?

I waited with my head cocked to the side. The night was warm and the fawn looked old enough to have a thick enough coat, though it was still speckled.

Then I realized as the prickling intensified. It wasn't cold.

It was petrified.

I turned and saw a creature, pale as the moon, crouched behind me, eyes black as the starless sky, looking worn and savage, black hair hanging down to just about it's eyes. I had no time to scream, for in that second, the creature pounced, it's eerily white teeth aimed for the jugular.

I felt the teeth grasp around my neck. Then, the burning started.

Through my agony my eyes shifted across the pond.

The fawn was gone.

**Iris:**

**OK, so this story really has me excited. I love Viva la Vida by Coldplay, and its story, if you read into the lyrics, will be told through this story, also Twilight stuff will be thrown in, a little edited, but it's in here! **

**This is a collab between Iris of the Rainbow (myself) , and Too Afraid To Cry Out (Ria, my best friend) . We've never written a collab and my updates will be slower than TATCO's, so be patient with me. This was both of us, the only chap that will be both of us, so enjoy ; )**

**Loves**

**Iris**

**Ria:**

**Yes, I'm writing with Iris (thanks for using all the interesting news, by the way) , and we are having a blast. This will be posted on both our profiles as Viva la Vida, and **_**my **_**updates will be within a week of Iris', mostly because I've got to work out my writer's cramp waiting for reviews for Starcrossed. If you get a chance, check it out and tell me you likey! Kay, next chapter is Iris', so sorry you'll have to wait * Iris blushes * oh, and disclaimers will be here, not at the top.**

**Disclaimers: We own none of these fabulous songs or Twilight. Also, King Edward and Queen Elizabeth were never married, but we wanted them to be here, so butt out. Oi!**

**Never fear!**

…**that's my job. Ria.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Viva la Vida**

**EPOV**

I awoke in the clearing, the moon was up and Volvo was gone. Was my burning just a dream? I don't know. The forest seemed so focused, I could see everything, the pollen spores that floated lightly in the air, every grain of sand beneath the blades of grass under me.

I rode from the ground and walked towards the pond, bending down and cupping my hands, splashing my face with the cool water. Strange, I had felt like I was on fire for days, months even. And that creature, I couldn't have imagined it. The water in the pond settled and I looked at my reflection.

And bounded away as quickly as I could.

My skin, which had originally been very pale, was now white as snow in January, and looked smooth as the marble in our dining room. My hair wasn't just brown, it had taken on a reddish quality and looked like copper, or bronze. But what startled me most was my eyes.

They glowed crimson. I knew what I was. A Vampire.

That must have been the creature that had bitten me. That must have been the awful burning. If anyone were to find out, I'd be burned at the stake. Would that hurt me? What about garlic? Do I have to sleep in a coffin? Where will I get a coffin without someone noticing me?

One thing I knew for certain, I cannot go back.

So I ran.

The forest sped by me at what would have been a blinding speed, but everything was so clear, so defined. I could see every drop of dew upon every leaf, every insect trapped in a spider's intricately spun web. I could see the stars, in what I had before considered a starless night, and every mountain or crater on the face of the pale moon.

I was at the cliffs edge within moments. I would throw myself off the edge, and if that did not kill me, I would stay beneath the water until I drown. I cannot take the life of any human just for my own benefit, so I will destroy myself.

I took a deep breath and flung my wretched body off the cliff, feeling no fear, surprisingly. I was exhilerated, it felt almost freeing to fly through the air like an eagle. My body hit the water at an odd angle, but I felt no pain. Why?

I stayed beneath the surface, contemplating why I was still alive. My body would have hit head first, snapping my neck, paralyzing me. I checked by moving my hands and legs. Nope, still functional. Even under the murky depths of water, everything was crystal clear. All the fish had swum away once I had broken the choppy surface of the gray waves, but everything was teeming with life. Anemony and sea sponges, even the stones, which are clearly not living, sparkled with the light from the moon which filtered through the waves above.

Above.

I have not breathed since I hit the water, but I don't feel faint at all. Not even a simple ringing in my ears, or pounding in my head.

Several things I have established:

I can run with speed greater than a bullet fired from my rifle. Pretty fast.

I can see as if everything was being seen through a telescope. Quite interesting.

I don't have to breathe. This could be troublesome. If I don't have to breathe, then I cannot suffocate to death.

Let's see what else I can do.

I rose to the surface, and took an involuntary breath. The cool air was saturated in the smell of the sea, mixed with pine from the woods and a faint sweet scent.

Improved sense of smell. Perhaps I should make a list.

I ran towards a great boulder on the shore, and as fast and with all the strength in my body, ran into it.

Instead of the feel of my body crumbling upon the gargantuan rock, I found that it had crumbled, its remains scattered at my feet, dust on my drenched clothes and in my hair.

Enough strength to completely obliterate a boulder.

Body which is immune to pain from impact.

I see that killing myself will be no easy task. So I ran back to the forest. Despite the wind whipping at my drenched skin and clothes, I never felt the cold, in fact, everything felt quite warm.

Cannot freeze to death.

I sat beneath a mighty oak. A vampire needs the blood of a human to survive, well, I'll just abstain until hunger kills me.

So there I waited. And waited. I waited so long, days and nights sitting motionless beneath the tree. My throat developed an intense burn over the months that had passed when I finally moved, I assume it had been five months, for I could detect a slight shift in the climate.

I felt so weak, but still so strong. Perhaps I really was dying. I walked to the pond in the clearing and splashed water on my face. It had turned ghostly pale and sallow. And gorgeous. My eyes were black as coal, looking tired and savage at once.

I breathed in, hoping to soothe the burn, but I smelled something. It was sweet and musky, it smelled of the forest, and of molasses. My body had a mind of it's own as I sped through the forest, following the scent. As I drew closer, I felt stronger almost. I sprang through the final trees and the smell was a herd of deer. At once I was upon the buck, draining the blood from the great vein in his neck. I then drained three younger bucks, four does and two fawns. The burn in my throat had stopped, but at the price of these creatures.

But had I not eaten venison as a human? I had, and this was no different. I didn't have to be a monster, the blood of animals could satiate the burn. I disposed of the corpses, burying them in the forest floor.

When I had been drinking, two things I noticed.

I had not slept for the entire five months I had been in my coma-like state.

My skin had caught the sunlight and my skin did not burn, but sparkled as if embedded within it were millions of finely cut diamonds. Diamonds… the necklace. I still remembered what the man had said, even through all my trauma. I was now like the chain, the hard, cold silver which sparkled in the light. Was this a coincidence? I had no clue. All I knew was, I had to get the necklace.

I ran back to my former home, draining a grizzly bear and an elk on my way, hoping to be able to resist temptation if I were to smell a human's blood.

I held my breath as I neared the castle, seeing no gardeners or servants on the grounds. I snuck to the side walls and crept around, like a common thief.

I had jumped from the ground to my balcony in a single leap.

It looked so different, but also the same. My bed was made, the pillows fluffed, my otherwise cluttered floor had been separated from my discarded robes. Everything was covered with a thick layer of dust, but my feet made no imprint on the floor, my shoes had been discarded long ago. The mirror was also dusty, and I wondered if I would see my reflection.

I took the end of my robe and wiped away a square of dust, and I hardly recognized myself, the pond's image had been so vague. My eyes, which had been glowing red and pitched black, were now turning an ocher color, like honey mixed with brown sugar. Previous to my… transformation, I had had green eyes, but now they seemed to be… golden. I could see faint specks of red in certain areas, but otherwise they were like the gold in my satchel.

My skin was also smooth, and free of the five o'clock shadow I was used to. I ran the tips of my fingers along my jaw. No hair, I suppose it won't grow anymore. It looked almost like porcelain, but was as durable as diamond.

Then there was my hair. I had always thought it were just brown and always in a disarray. It was still unkempt, but smooth as satin, soft as a feather, and it shone like copper or bronze, clearly no longer "just brown".

I grabbed a cloak from my closet and placed a satchel of gold into one of its enormous pockets. I then walked to the vanity, my breath still held, and opened the smooth leather box. The necklace did not feel cold like the untouched metal would have, so I figured I must be colder. I placed the necklace into the satchel and changed into a new pair of clothes, my old ones having been very filthy. I also placed a spare into another pocket of my cloak.

With that I was off, sailing through the sky, flying on the tops of trees, swinging from branches. I would make the most of life like this, I just had to have faith and stay abstinent to human blood. That couldn't be too difficult, there are plenty of animals in the world…

**Iris:**

**Ha! Got it done within a week! Eat that Ria!!! …OH! Hi guys! Sorry about that, but I was just having so much fun writing this chapter! Edward is just discovering all his new talents and I know there's not much action, but there will be! So, as you can tell, kinda, Edward has somewhat taken on the role of Carlisle. CARLISLE IS NOT A VAMPIRE YET!!!!! And that's all I'm giving away. Stay tuned!**

**Love**

**Iris**

**Ria: Yeah yeah, you finished within a week. Whatever. Okay, I don't know about you guys, but I think Iris did pretty super with this chapter, despite some grammatical errors I had to fix. Next chapter is mine, and there will be action, including a super special appearance from * duh duh duh!!!!! * The Volturi!!!!!!! Yeah! My chapter has the Volturi. Oh and, I personally hate when people misspell the character names, so there will be none of that if I can help it!**

**Never fear!**

…**That's my job. Ria.**


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